Jude 16a: These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts…

Jude 15 references the ungodly who God will execute judgment upon. When ungodly individuals are described in the Bible, words such as selfish, proud, worldly, covetous, and dishonest are often used.

A word which may not be as frequently spoken against is used in Jude 16 to describe the ungodly: murmurers.

Murmuring is often descriptive of unfaithful individuals. The generation of Israelites who exited Egypt murmured against Moses (and the LORD) when their desires were not met (Exod. 16:7-8; Num. 14:27,36). The inspired apostle Paul warned the church at Corinth not to murmur like the Israelites did (1 Cor. 10:10). Paul also commanded the church at Philippi to “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” (Phil. 2:14). A consistent mark of the Jews rebuked by Jesus was murmuring against Him (Luke 15:2; 19:7; John 6:41). What is this murmuring, and why is it wrong?

The definition Thayer gives for the word translated “murmurers” in Jude 16 is “a murmurer, one who discontentedly complains (against God)” (G1113).

The murmuring condemned by God isn’t putting forth a just complaint to encourage correction, but grumbling in discontentment.

Digging into the murmuring that marked the “exodus” generation of Israelites helps us understand why it can be destructive. At the beginning of the book of Exodus, the Israelites had been in Egyptian bondage for many years. As they were being oppressed, “God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Exod. 2:24).

God showed His faithfulness to that covenant by leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. As the Israelites started their exodus from Egypt, God showed them additional evidence that He was with them (Exod. 13:21-22; 14:19-30). Despite this, the Israelites time and again distrusted God and murmured (Exod. 15:24; 16:2; 17:3; Num. 14:2,29).

The murmuring of the Israelites was caused by discontentment, selfishness, lack of faith, and shortsightedness.

These same problems cause murmuring today. An “attitude of gratitude” produces joy rather than murmuring (Phil. 4:4).

This isn’t to say that disappointments are never going to come (cf. Rom. 12:15) or should never be noted (cf. Col. 4:18). It also isn’t to say that negative topics should never be discussed. The inspired apostles spoke of the ugliness of sin (cf. 2 Pet. 2:1-6). The purpose of such teaching, though, was to warn against sin’s consequences (verse 6).

The murmuring condemned by God is different. It serves no good purpose.

The Israelites fell into the trap of murmuring by forgetting God’s promises (Ex. 6:6-8). Their lack of faith led them to grumble instead of praising God. May we learn from this example, and “Do all things without murmurings.”

– Michael Hickox